


Denim Sky

by limegreensockft



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-04-24 16:28:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14359239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limegreensockft/pseuds/limegreensockft
Summary: Addison Ellis and her Poppy would not have survived the zombie virus outbreak if it hadn't have been for Rick and his group of survivors. They rescued them, brought them back to the prison, and things have been going (kind of) smoothly since then. Although she's still haunted by the death of her Nana, Addie is settling into her life at the prison and becoming a part of the group. At least until Merle Dixon shows up. He's bossy and crude and the total opposite of Addie...so why does she feel so drawn to him?This strange new world has brought the unlikeliest of pairs together, but will heartbreak, loss and tragedy tear them apart?





	1. Chapter 1

_ "Addie," her breathing was labored. "Go get Poppy, honey." _

_ Addie's Nana was lying weakly on the bed. She had been feverish all day, since one of those things had bitten her the night before. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Addie helped her Nana sit up, giving her small sips of water. She was enveloped in a thick, fluffy blanket, even though it was sweltering outside. Addie placed the back of her hand on her Nana's temple. She was burning up.  _

_ "I'll be right back. Stay here, I'm going to get Poppy." Addie cast a nervous glance out the window.  _

_ Her Nana laughed weakly. "I'm not going anywhere, baby." She grabbed Addie's hand and kissed it. Addie smiled, but suddenly felt uneasy. _

_ "It's okay, baby. I love you." Addie tried to pull away, but her Nana's grip was suddenly viselike.  _

_ "Nana, you're hurting me!" Addie’s heart pounded, and her every instinct was telling her to  _ get out _. _

_ "I love you, baby." Her voice was suddenly harsh and abrasive.  _

_ "Nana please!" Addie yanked her arm, but couldn't get free. _

_ Her Nana's eyes were suddenly milky, and her movements choppy. With a snarl, she bit down on Addie's fingers. _

_ " _ NANA _!" Addie screamed. _

 

* * *

 

"Addie!" A firm hand shook her awake. "Addie, wake up!" 

Addison jerked awake, sweating and breathing heavily. Maggie was kneeling beside her, looking troubled. 

"It was just a nightmare, honey, it's alright." Maggie patted her back soothingly.

"It wasn't." Addie whispered. "It wasn't a dream." 

Maggie put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Come help with breakfast? It might take your mind off things, and we could use the extra hands." 

Addie nodded and pulled herself to her feet. Maggie gave her a small smile before disappearing down the hallway. 

Addie took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She felt clammy and wobbly after her nightmare, which was becoming entirely too frequent for her liking. She held a shaky hand up and examined her fingers. They were all there. That particular part of the dream wasn't real, but it almost had been. Addie shuddered and shook her head in an unsuccessful attempt to banish the memory. 

 

* * *

 

 

She grabbed her clothes from the top bunk and shuffled down the hallway to the bathroom.

She showered quickly and threw on her dingy black tank top. She looked down at her olive green cargo pants and frowned, making a small noise of disgust as she pulled them on. They were the ugliest pair of pants she'd ever owned, but it's not like she had many options—nor was she trying to impress anyone.

Studying herself in the cloudy mirror, Addie evaluated her appearance. Before the world had fallen apart, she would have described herself as pretty, more or less. Fair skin, big blue-grey eyes, (complete with dark puffy circles that she had religiously hidden with concealer and pale green eyeliner), and dirty blonde hair that she pressed into submission with a flat iron. She was tall and slender, and her physique had been nice enough, she supposed, although she wouldn’t have minded a bigger bra size. Her face was thin and proportionate, with high cheekbones and a button nose. Her ears were oversized, but at least she had been able hide those behind her hair. 

But here—now—in this brave new world, she was just a skinny, malnourished, pale girl with a face too young for her age, frizzy hair, and ears that were too big for her head. The circles under her eyes were much darker now, due to stress and lack of sleep, and long gone was the stick of concealer that she'd so carefully packed when the outbreak first began.

Addie looked at her gaunt, haggard face and sighed. There was still a ghost of her forgotten self, hidden behind her eyes, but the girl she used to be seemed elusive and beyond her reach.

Waving her intrusive thoughts away, she pulled her hair up into a messy bun. It was a simple look; practical and effective, but she scowled at her Dumbo ears. 

"Whatever." She muttered to herself, lacing up her boots.

 

* * *

 

 

When Addie reported for kitchen duty, she found her Poppy sitting with Carol at one of the tables. She walked over, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and smiled at Carol. The sweet older woman had been the first to introduce herself when they had arrived a week before, and she was the closest thing Addie had to a friend.

"Are you okay, hon?" She asked, sympathetically. "Maggie told me what happened."

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Addie mumbled, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She knew that everyone in this prison had lost people they cared about, and she was embarrassed that she couldn’t seem to get a handle on her subconscious.

"Don't feel bad," Carol said, as if she could read her mind. "I still have nightmares too." 

She took Addie’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

Addie smiled gratefully. She was still struggling to find her place among this group, but Carol had been quick to familiarize her with the day-to-day operations. She had grown to genuinely like the older woman, and it was refreshing for Addie to be able to call her a friend.

The two women worked in silence for a while, filling the plastic trays with food and lining them up along the counter. A few minutes later, right on cue, Carl barreled into the cafeteria, followed by the rest of the group. As they collected their trays, they spread out among the tables, talking and laughing as they ate. The spacious room echoed with chatter and it felt, for a moment, as if things had gone back to the way they were before.

"Where's Rick?" Addie asked Carol, noting one of the two trays still waiting to be picked up.

"Where's  _ Daryl _ ?" Carol narrowed her eyes. "Hershel, what's going on?" 

  
"Rick and Daryl have some business to attend to." His tone was even, but he seemed bothered. “It seems they've found Merle."

  
The conversation in the cafeteria came to a screeching halt.

“He’s alive?” Carol’s hushed voice broke the deafening silence.

“It would appear so.” Hershel was sitting across from Addie’s Poppy, who was looking every bit as confused as she was.   
  


Addie nudged Carol. "Who's Merle?" 

  
"Daryl's brother." She explained. "He was part of our group outside Atlanta. Rick chained him to the rooftop in the city and left him there."  
  


Addie blinked. "What do you mean? Why?"    
  


"Merle Dixon was never particularly stable. The group was in Atlanta for a supply run. He was on drugs, and he was causing a scene—attracting walkers. A few of the guys confronted him and he got violent." Carol bit her lip. “Rick handcuffed him to a pipe, to cool him down. T-Dog had the key, but he dropped it down a hole by accident.” 

Addie covered her mouth. “And they just left him there? They didn’t even  _ try _ ?” She whispered.   
  


“I suppose they didn’t think they had a choice.” Carol sighed. "Merle was wrong about a lot of things, but I don't know if it was right to leave him there to die."

  
"But he didn't. Die, I mean." Addie swallowed.

  
"We all assumed he did, but..." Carol trailed off. "They went back for him. Rick, Daryl, Glenn, T-Dog—they went back for him. They found his hand, up there on that rooftop. He'd cut it off himself.” 

Addie’s eyes were wide with shock. She was shaken by Carol’s account of the story, and it made her feel unsettled.  

Almost as if it had been planned for dramatic effect, at this exact moment, a man in a discolored wifebeater and khaki pants swaggered into the room. No one made a sound.

“Well, well, well.” The man grinned and waved with his right arm. It was missing a hand, and capped with a fitted metal prosthetic. “What, huh? Y’all ain’t got nothin’ to say to Ol’ Merle?”

Addie and Carol exchanged an apprehensive look. Life at the prison was about to get much more interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

The atmosphere in the prison cafeteria was strained as Merle Dixon paced around restlessly. Addie stood behind Carol, watching him apprehensively. He was about 5’ 10”, from what she could tell, and extremely muscular. He seemed wild and risky—like a ticking time bomb.

Merle tapped his makeshift blade on the wall agitatedly.

"Oh, come on, y'all! You ain’t gonna tell me that you left me for dead up there on that roof, but you got nothin' to say to me now?" 

"That wasn't us, Merle." Carol spoke up, crossing her arms. She stepped forward, leaving Addie exposed behind her. 

"No?" He gestured to Glenn. "Chinaman was there." He locked eyes with Addie and her stomach spasmed. Even from across the room, she was both intimidated and intrigued by him. She slipped farther back into the shadows, feeling self-conscious.

Glenn rolled his eyes. "I'm Korean, asshole."

"The hell you say, boy?" Merle shouted, brandishing his blade. "I'll tell you what, you little-" 

"Merle!" Daryl stomped into the cafeteria with Rick at his heels. 

"Well hey there, little brother!" Merle crowed, throwing an arm around Daryl’s shoulder.

Daryl frowned, shrugging his arm off. 

"Man, why you gotta make trouble for everyone?" He mumbled.

"Aw, come on! Don’t be like that!" Merle grinned. "Y'all ain't had this much excitement since I been gone! Ain't that right, boy?" He winked at Carl.

"Don't make this harder on yourself." Rick warned, moving a hand to his holster. 

"Looky here!" Merle whooped. "Officer friendly here 'bout to draw on me! You see that, baby brother?" He laughed hoarsely, reaching for his gun. "We just gettin' started, you damn bunch of–" 

With one swift movement, Rick clubbed Merle in the back of his head with his pistol and he collapsed onto to the concrete floor. Addie flinched.

Daryl looked uncomfortable, but said nothing. 

Rick motioned for Daryl and Glenn to help him, and the three of them dragged Merle through the doorway and up the stairs into the upper cellblock. Addie’s eyes were wide, and she realized that she had been holding her breath. 

* * *

 

No one spoke until Rick and Daryl came back into the cafeteria. 

“He’s still out cold, but we’re keeping him in a cell for now. This is just a temporary fix. We need to decide what we’re going to do with him.” Rick sat down at the table across from Addie’s Poppy. 

"Keith, we can't risk keeping Merle in the lower cell block, with our people." Rick glanced over at Addie. "Now, it’s not ideal, but we don't know the two of you well enough to let you join us either. It isn’t you, but we've lost too many of our group because we trusted the wrong people. For now, I think it’s best if he stays upstairs with you and Addie." 

Addie’s heart bounced into her throat when she realized that Merle would be on the upper floor with them. She frowned inwardly at her knee-jerk reaction.  _ Why should she care where Rick put him? _

Addie walked over and put an arm around her Poppy's shoulder. He took hold of her hand and fixed Rick with a solemn look. "I understand where you’re coming from Rick, but my main concern is Addie. Will she be safe with this ‘Merle’ around?" 

Rick nodded. " He’ll be in his cell at all times. I'll have Addie and Carol bring him food and clothes, and I’ll put an escort on him anytime it’s necessary for him to interact with the group."

“You’re keeping him locked up?” Addie asked, trying to hide the disapproval she felt.  _ Taking precautions was one thing, but treating him like a prisoner _ ?

Rick must have mistaken her question as a safety concern, and he replied firmly, “Yes. He’ll be locked into his cell all night and most of the day. Daryl will take him to the bathroom when it’s necessary, and we’ll allow him one hour outside every afternoon.” 

"Rick, you can't be serious." Maggie said incredulously. "This guy's clearly unstable. You don't want him around Carl and Judith." 

"Look," Rick rubbed his jaw. "I don't trust him either, but this is Daryl's brother."

"Merle goes, I go." Daryl muttered. 

Maggie gaped at Rick. "He'd been here for all of 5 minutes before he  _ threatened _ Glenn!" 

Addie felt a strange compulsion to defend him, even though she couldn’t quite understand why. Wordlessly, she told herself to keep her mouth shut. It was a bad idea to call attention to herself now, especially over such a controversial topic.

"We should give him a chance." The words were out of her mouth before she even knew she was going to speak. Everyone turned and looked at her. Her Poppy gave her a careful sideways look. 

"Sorry." She stared down at the floor, mortified.  _ What on earth was wrong with her?  _

"Go ahead." Hershel urged her. "We should hear everyone's opinion before we decide anything."

"I just...I think everyone deserves a chance. And if he's locked up, there's not much damage he can do." She swallowed, trying to organize her thoughts. "When you found me and my Poppy, you didn't have to bring us back here. You could have left us on our own, but you took us in and gave us a chance to earn our place here. And I may not be a part of this group yet—not like the rest of you—but kicking him out without letting him prove himself wouldn't feel right. Maybe he  _ is _ dangerous, but he’s Daryl’s  _ brother _ . Isn’t that at least worth a chance? If we send him off on his own, we’re admitting that there’s no hope for humanity—no hope for rehabilitation. And I’m not ready to admit that yet.” 

Addie let out a shaky breath. That had come out slightly more dramatic than she’d intended, but she felt better now that it was off her chest.

“You have the spirit of an idealist.” Hershel looked at her with kind eyes. "Keith, what do you think?" He asked. 

Addie's Poppy thought for a moment. "If it were up to me, I'd give him a chance. It's the right thing to do. And Daryl mentioned that he has military experience—he could be useful down the road. But I’ll rest easier knowing that he’s behind bars." He glanced pointedly at Addie, as though he was expecting her to argue.

Rick eyed the group. "If anyone else has something to add, now would be the time." 

"Rick, you said this was no longer a democracy, but I'd like to take a vote." Hershel said. "All in favor of cutting Merle loose?" Maggie, Glenn, Michonne and Carl raised their hands. 

Rick surveyed the room. "And those in favor of giving him a chance?" Addie, her Poppy, Carol, Beth, Daryl and Hershel held up their hands.

"This  _ isn’t _ a democracy, Hershel. But we'll let him stay for now." Rick said. "For  _ now _ ." He emphasized, staring firmly at Daryl. "If he causes any trouble, we  _ will _ send him on his way." Daryl jerked his head, his face unreadable. 

Maggie set her jaw. “You’re the leader of this group, Rick. If this is your decision, I’ll stand by it, but I guarantee you that his true colors will come out. People don’t change. A man like that won’t change.” 

Rick nodded, but said nothing. He motioned to Daryl and the two of them left together, presumably to discuss the details of Merle’s confinement.

The rest of the group ambled out of the cafeteria and into their respective cells. Echoes of their conversations floated down the hall as they debated the new development in hushed tones. 

Addie and her Poppy were the only ones left in the room, and they sat together in silence. Addie felt sad for Merle Dixon—this man that she barely knew—and confused by her own feelings. She almost never had trouble sorting out her emotions, but suddenly she was unable to pinpoint how she felt. Was she sad? Afraid? Indignant? Something about Daryl’s brother had her on edge. He was intimidating, but in a strange way she was fascinated by him. It was something about the way he moved and spoke; all fearlessness and confidence and “devil-may-care” attitude. But there was something else there—something deep and dark and devastating beneath his tough exterior and those rolling muscles. 

“I don’t want you around that Merle fellow.” Addie’s Poppy snapped her back to reality.

Addie blinked at him, taken aback. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, her Poppy placed his wrinkled hand over hers. 

“I know how you are, honey. I saw how you were looking at him. And what you said back there—I just worry about you, baby.”

“ _ Poppy _ !” Addie’s mouth dropped open and her face flushed red. “I—I don’t even know him! I certainly don’t have… _ feelings  _ for him!”

“…That’s not what I meant.” He looked at her carefully, narrowing his eyes. “I know how compassionate you are. I just don’t want you getting mixed up with this man because you feel sorry for him.”

Addie’s mouth felt dry as her Poppy fixed her with an eerily knowing look. He had the remarkable and uncanny talent of seeing right through a person, and she looked away before he could decipher whatever unwelcome truth might have been hiding in her eyes.

“Addie,  _ do  _ you have—“

“Poppy, this doesn’t feel right. Caging him like some kind of animal?” She cut him off before he could follow his line of questioning to its inevitable conclusion. 

He knew exactly what she was doing by changing the subject, but he didn’t press her. 

“Addie, the man is dangerous. You saw how riled up he was today. He’s unpredictable. And unpredictable is the last thing we need right now.” His West Texas drawl added a bite to his words. He was serious. 


	3. Chapter 3

After lunch, Addie and Carol tidied up the cafeteria while Beth folded a pile of laundry. They worked mostly in silence, and it was evident that everyone had weathered a trying day. For the millionth time, Addie glanced over at the food tray that Carol had set aside for Merle Dixon. Rick had asked her to take it up to him after lunch was over. Unable to help herself, Addie stared at it. It was sitting on the edge of the counter. It seemed as though it was staring back at her, challenging her.

“I’m taking that up as soon as I’m done.” Carol said, motioning to the offending tray.

“I can take it, if you’re busy.” Addie offered, in what she hoped was an indifferent tone. Judging by the look on her face, Carol wasn’t fooled, but she didn’t say anything.

“That’s not necessary, I’m almost done.” Carol said. ”But you can come with me—I could use the company.”

She turned the last plastic cup right side up to dry and picked up the tray. Motioning for Addie to follow her, Carol led the way up the concrete steps to the upper cellblock. When they reached the top of the stairs, Addie hung back. She felt ridiculously nervous as Carol approached the only locked cell on the floor, tapping on the metal bars. They clanged tinnishly, echoing down the hall.

“Lunch.” Carol announced, setting the tray on the floor outside of the cell.

“Thanks, sugartits.” Merle’s scratchy voice drifted lazily through the bars.

Wrinkling her nose at the tasteless nickname, Carol turned on her heel and walked back towards where Addie was waiting in the corner.

“Hey, where you goin’? We was just gettin’ started!” He called after her. “And you ain’t brought me no pudding! What the hell, woman?”

Ignoring Merle’s protests, Carol took Adie by the elbow and motioned towards the cell.

“Keep an eye on him.” She said, glancing warily back at Merle. “And don’t let him keep that fork. The last thing we need is a homemade Merle Dixon shank.” She brushed past Addie.

“Carol, wait!” Addie called in a whisper. “You’re leaving?”

“I can’t do this today without punching him in the face—and I don’t think Daryl would much appreciate that.” Addie watched as Carol headed down the stairs and disappeared from her view.

 

Very suddenly, Addie found herself all alone on the upper floor, with no Carol and no self-confidence. Reluctantly, she approached the cell. She crept towards the bars and peered in. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw Merle leaning against the bedpost, eating rice with the plastic fork.

“I see you peepin’ in here. You lookin’ for a show?”

Addie’s cheeks flamed. “N-no! I just—well, Carol told me to keep an eye on you, and—um—I figured I should check on you, anyway. Rick hit you pretty hard, and I just thought —”

“You worried about Ol’ Merle?” He placed a hand over his heart in mock sincerity.

“No! I mean, well, yes, but I don’t—“

Sneering, he leaned closer. “Whatchu want, girl?” His eyes were cold and steely.

“N-nothing.” Addie stammered.

_“_ Bull _shit.”_ He snarled. Addie’s eyes widened at his sudden aggression and she took an instinctive step back. “Ain’t nobody in this world does nothin’ for somebody else without a damn good reason.”

Addie sighed, tiredly. “Look, I’m just supposed to make sure you don’t kill anyone with a fork.” 

Merle looked at her for a long moment before snorting.

“Girlie, if I was gonna shank one a' these self-righteous pricks, it would _not_ be with a fork.” His tone sounded vaguely threatening, but he cracked a smile. 

“Well, I’m still going to need it back.” Addie said, holding out her hand. 

"Now, that'll cost ya extra, sugar." Merle winked.

Addie’s heart pounded. She had to get that fork back-the group was just beginning to trust her and she could _not_ screw this up.  _She was thoroughly out of her element here._

"What do you want?" 

Merle motioned for her to come closer. She swallowed and took a small step forward. They were less than a foot apart, separated only by the cell bars. He looked her over, his eyes lingering on her chest. Addie pulled her tank top up self-consciously, and folded her arms across her ribcage. 

"Tomorrow, you convince Officer Friendly to let me out of this damn cage." 

"He'll never agree to it." Addie breathed. Standing this close to Merle made her feel lightheaded. _His eyes were stormy._

“Pretty thing like you? Bet you could change his mind real easy.” He smirked and rolled his hips suggestively.

Addie looked away quickly, feeling the all-too-familiar flush spreading across her face. _He thought she was pretty?_

“I’ve only been here for a week. She met his eyes and looked away again quickly. “He doesn’t trust me.” 

“Makes two of us, then.” He chuckled darkly. “So what’cha say, girlie? We got a deal?”

“I...I can’t. I’m sorry.” Addie bit her lip and met his deep blue eyes. “I can’t risk doing something to get me and my Poppy kicked out.”

Merle snorted disdainfully. “Guess you’re outta luck then, sweetheart.”

“I’ll bring you extra food tomorrow—pudding.” She promised. “Please, just give me the fork.”

“Huh-uh. That ain’t gonna fly. Get me outta this damn cell, or no deal.” He thought for a moment. “Well, I s’pose we could work out a trade. How ‘bout a blowie?”

Addie turned beet red and felt her whole face grow warm. Merle cracked up.

“Y-you…you give me that stupid fork _right now_!” Her teeth were gritted, but she was still red as a fire engine. 

“No can do, sugar.” He smiled broadly and leaned back against the wall, holding the utensil between his teeth. Raising an eyebrow at her, he ran his tongue across the beige plastic. Addie shivered in spite of herself.

“Fine.” she snapped. “Stay locked up, for all I care. And you can forget about any extra pudding.” Snatching up the tray, she stormed off, embarrassed and angry, with his mocking laughter still echoing in her ears. 

Merle sat in his cell, chuckling to himself as he heard Addie march angrily down the stairs, her sharp footsteps echoing down the hall.  _Damn girl was just about the cutest thing he’d ever seen, all worked up and red in the face._

Still grinning, he tucked the plastic fork carefully under the mattress on the top bunk. _Couldn’t hurt to have it handy in case he needed it later._

 

* * *

 

 

Carol raised an eyebrow as Addie stomped huffily into the cafeteria and threw the empty tray down on the counter. 

“Did you get that fork?” She asked with a knowing smile. 

“Don’t ask.” Addie said, rolling her eyes and flopping down on the bench. Carol eyed her cryptically and went back to polishing her knife blade. The two of them sat in silence for a minute.

“Merle Dixon is an _idiot_.” Addie said sharply, breaking the quiet.

Carol laughed and shook her head. “You have no idea.”

 

* * *

 

 

That evening, Addie sat alone in her cell, lost in thought. The moon was shining dimly through the tiny window, bathing the harsh room in soft, milky light. For some stupid reason, her thoughts kept drifting back to Merle Dixon. She thought about what her Poppy said—or insinuated, rather. That she had some kind of crush on this man she barely knew. I mean, yes, she found him physically attractive, and, yes, she’d always had a thing for older men, (probably why she’d never had a serious relationship) but Merle Dixon was a racist, sexist, redneck _bonehead_. Everything about him was problematic. He was nothing like the kind of man she was supposed to want. And even if she _did_ have feelings for him, she was certain that he could care less. She’d known men like Merle before—confident, experienced, and, above all, not looking for some naïve, virgin head case with impractical romantic fantasies. Men like Merle Dixon did _not_ fall for girls like Addison Ellis.

For as long as she could remember, Addie had always been an idealist—she was the kind of girl who cried over fictional characters and daydreamed through her way through algebra. She was so caught up in the idea of love that she had never experienced anything close to it. She’d had her fair share of interest—a handful of boys in high school, a few serious offers from scrawny Bible College boys. No one she ever gave serious consideration to.

_“Addie, don’t run away from the possibility of love because you’re afraid.”_ Her mother used to tell her. “ _Why don’t you just try casual dating?”_ Addie didn’t know how to explain that she couldn’t do anything casually. And she certainly never imagined that something like this would be on her mind during the end of the world. But here she was, sitting in a prison cell in Georgia, hundreds of miles from Texas and her family (if any of them were even still alive) and thinking about some racist, drug-addled redneck that she had no business being involved with. Still, as she laid on the uneven mattress, staring at the ceiling, it was Merle Dixon’s face that she saw when she closed her eyes. As her eyelids grew heavy she convinced herself that she was just concerned about his well-being—everyone deserved to be treated with respect. She was just trying to be a decent person—just trying to keep her humanity in the midst of this cruel new life. She was just trying to do the right thing, she told herself. Nothing more.

 

_Addie was always good at lying to herself._


	4. Chapter 4

Gasping sharply, Addie woke abruptly from another “Walker Nana” dream. She threw the covers off, feeling sweaty and claustrophobic. Panting slightly, she lay completely still, listening for the familiar sound of her Poppy's breathing, but she didn't hear anything. Quietly, she slipped out of her room and into his cell, adjacent to hers. 

He wasn't there.  

" _ Poppy _ ." She whispered sharply, peering down the dark hall. She had a pretty good idea about where he was, but her heart was still racing from the nightmare and she couldn’t keep from feeling uneasy. 

Addie tiptoed down the stairs and through the lower cellblock, moving quietly so as not to wake anyone. She passed Carol’s cell at the end of the hallway and made her way around the corner and up the back stairwell that led to one of the storage rooms. At the top of the stairs sat her Poppy, deep in thought. 

Sitting down next to him, Addie took his hand. “Poppy, you can’t just disappear like that. You scared me to death.”

He looked sideways at her and she was struck by how old and worn he looked. 

“Sorry, hon. I thought you were asleep.” His eyes were sad and tired.

“I was.” She said quietly. “I had another dream about Nana.”

“So did I.” Her Poppy sighed heavily. “This world was always cruel, but I never wanted to see it without her by my side.” 

Addie could feel tears beginning to prick the back of her eyes and she squeezed her Poppy’s hand sadly.

“Are you coming back to bed?” She asked, clearing her throat in an attempt to compose herself. 

“In a while. I think I might sit here for a bit.” 

Kissing him on the cheek, she stood up and headed back down the stairs, through the lower cellblock, and onto the upper floor. When she passed her Poppy’s cell, something caught her eye. There, on the bed, gleaming in the cloudy moonlight, was a careworn, black and white picture of her Nana. She was younger than Addie, wearing a white dress and beaming at the camera. It was her wedding day.    
  
  


Sighing deeply, she walked out of his cell and pressed her back against the outside wall. She closed her eyes and let her head rest against the cold concrete, trying to steady her breaths.

"Hey, girlie." Addie jumped when Merle spoke from his cell. “Did ya come back for that fork?” He smirked.

Addie’s throat constricted. The stress of the day finally overwhelmed her, and her lower lip trembled, eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry." Her voice broke. "I'm tired and worried about my Poppy and I yelled at you earlier and now I've made a terrible first impression." She babbled, a single tear spilling over and rolling down her pale cheek.

"Whoa there, take a breath, girl." He laughed. “I ain’t tryin’ to listen to no cryin’ woman all night. Now wipe them damn tears away and tell me your name."

"Addie." She sniffled. "Addison Ellis."

"Add-i-son." Her name was long and drawn out on his tongue; every syllable emphasized in his thick Georgia drawl. She didn't want to admit that she liked the way her name sounded coming out of his mouth. 

Swallowing, Addie cautiously approached the bars of his cell. Her heart was pounding.

“You’re Daryl’s brother. Merle.”

He smiled wolfishly from the shadows. “And you’re the pretty little thing from the cafeteria. Hidin’ behind Daryl’s mousy little girlfriend. (Daryl’s name sounded like “Derle” in his thick, lazy accent.) Merle raised an eyebrow and stepped towards her. Addie instinctively took a step back. Her Poppy’s warning rang in her ears. “ _ Addie, the man is dangerous.” _

"What's a'matter, darlin', huh?" He winked. "I ain't gonna bite ya—‘less ya want me to.” He snickered.

Addie eyed his metal prosthetic nervously, feeling more out of her depth with each passing moment.

Merle laughed. "Oh, you like that, huh? "Made it myself, when these assholes left me chained to the roof like a damn dog."

“I’m sorry.” She said quietly.

“ ‘Bout my hand?”

“Yeah. And…about earlier. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’ve had a hard week but that’s no excuse. I’m sorry I took it out on you.”

Merle looked at her for a long moment, trying to decipher her intent.  _ No one was ever sweet to him without a damn good reason, and this skinny blonde girl was no exception. She seemed harmless, but so had that bitch from Mineral Bluffs that smoked his stash of crystal and made off with his damn flannel. _

Scoffing, Merle directed the attention back to his arm. 

“Ain’t too bad, actually. Comes in handy sometimes.” He motioned to a mattress lying on the floor. Stuffing poked out from deep cuts in the fabric.

“What are you doing?” She looked at him with uncertainty.

“Lookin’ for a sweet escape.” He rolled his eyes at her blank look of confusion. “ _ Dope _ , Aunt Bea.” 

Addie frowned at the nickname.  _ Aunt Bea, from the Andy Griffith Show. Wholesome, churchgoing, always making pie. Technically, the stereotype applied (minus the pie), but he clearly meant it as an insult. _

"Is your head okay?" She asked, changing the subject.

He snorted. "It takes more 'n that sorry prick to keep a Dixon down. But why the concern, sugartits? You wanna keep Ol' Merle around for a while? Maybe lookin’ for a little sweet escape of your own?" He winked lasciviously. 

She turned fire engine red and he cackled.

"I—I should go." 

"Aw, come on, sugar! I'm just teasin' ya!" He laughed. "Come on, stay awhile and keep me company."

Addie bit the inside of her lip and thought for a moment.  _ His offer was tempting. It had to have been at least 3 in the morning, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep and she really didn’t want to go back to her cell alone.  _

Finally, she nodded. With a grin, he motioned to her cell. 

“Go grab you a chair, girlie. Floor’s cold.”

She nodded and ducked quickly into her room before reappearing with a rusty metal folding chair. Positioning it in front of Merle’s cell, she sat down. 

"Now then," he dragged his own metal chair out of the shadows and up to the cell bars, straddling it. "Tell me what's goin' on with ya granddaddy."

"You really want to know?" Addie blinked, surprised.

"Wouldn't've asked if I didn't." He snorted. "Besides, I ain't got nothin’ else to do." 

She handed him the picture of her Nana through the bars. Merle studied it, his face unreadable in the shadows.

"He misses her. They met when they were young, and they'd been married for 58 years. I don't think he knows how to do life without her." 

Merle grunted noncommittally.

“I worry about him. That he might not make it—” Her voice shook. “That he might not  _ want  _ to make it.” 

Merle ran a hand over his stubble. 

"Sorry 'boutcha Nan." He seemed genuine, if not a bit uncomfortable with all this emotion. “And ya granddaddy’ll come around. He’s gotta decide that life’s worth livin’ on his own terms. Ain’t nobody can make that decision for him.”  

Neither of them spoke for a moment, and the stillness between them felt almost intimate. 

"How'd you wind up here, anyway, buttercup?" Merle broke the silence, slipping effortlessly back into his charming, careless demeanor. "Don't remember seein' you ‘round this neck of the woods, and I know you wasn't with this group back in Atlanta." 

“Daryl found us, actually. We were hiding out in a convenience store a few miles from here—me and Poppy. He brought us back here and the group voted, and Rick decided to let us stay. We’d be long dead if he hadn’t found us.”

“You ain’t from Georgia, are ya? You got family ‘round here or what?”

“No, no family. And we’re from Texas. Actually, we were in Florida for a church convention.”

Merle snickered. “Bible thumper, huh?”

“I guess.” She laughed softly. “We were staying in a hotel in Tampa when things got bad. My Nana got bit. We didn’t know anything about Walkers, and we thought she was just sick. We tried to get medicine for her, but it was chaos in the city. She got really bad, and finally she died. And…”

“She turned.” His voice was raspy.

“Yeah.” Addie breathed. “Poppy had to put her down after she tried to bite me. It was…it was really close. She almost got me.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He rubbed his jaw, his face blank and unreadable.

She cleared her throat and blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill over. 

“Anyway, we knew we couldn’t stay after that. The city was completely overrun. It’s a miracle we even made it to Georgia in one piece.”

Addie leaned her head against the bars as she told him the story of how she escaped from the hotel with her Poppy. She was trying very hard to form coherent sentences, but she was drained from her nightmare and she could feel her eyelids growing heavy. Her blinks became longer and longer, and Merle snorted softly as he watched the girl struggling to stay awake.  _ How the fuck she could fall asleep in that uncomfortable-ass chair was beyond him _ . He thought about waking her up and sending her back to bed, but the girl obviously needed some shuteye. He could tell from the dark circles under her eyes that these nightmares had been troubling her for a while.

Leaning back in his chair, Merle observed her sleeping form.  _ She was thin and willowy with pale skin and wavy blonde hair that fell past her shoulders. She had a button nose, dusted with a handful of freckles and a broken blood vessel right in the middle. Her lips were full and pink, marred only by the raw spots where she’d bitten them bloody. Even in sleep she looked worn out, but damn. Girl was gorgeous as fuck. _

 

* * *

 

Addie was slumped over in her chair, head resting against the cold metal bars when her Poppy came back down the dark hallway. 

“ _ Addie.”  _ He said sharply.

She jerked awake quickly. Her Poppy was standing over her, looking disapproving. She flicked her eyes into the cell where Merle was still sitting, slouched in his chair and eyeing her Poppy with cold blue eyes. 

“Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.” She stifled a yawn as she clambered to her feet. Turning to Merle she said, “Thanks—sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you up.”

Merle grunted and stood up, dragging his chair back into the corner. He nodded curtly at Addie’s Poppy, who’s remained impassive.

_ How awkward. _

“Well, it’s late, so I guess we’ll just…” she trailed off. “Um, goodnight.”  _ He wouldn’t look at her. _

Her cheeks burned as she glanced back at her Poppy, who remained motionless. He appraised Merle carefully for a long moment before turning away. Giving Addie a hard look, he motioned for her to follow him into his cell. Sighing, she sat down on his bed, preparing for the inevitable lecture.

“Addison—“ He began, looking stern.

“Oh, Poppy, please.” She rubbed her eyes in exhaustion. “Please don’t make this a federal case.”

“Walk me through it.”

Addie sighed tiredly and pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I had a nightmare, and when I woke up, you were gone. I came to find you, and on my way back I—I saw this, on your bed.” She handed him the small black and white photograph. 

Closing his eyes briefly, Addie’s Poppy covered it with his hand. 

Taking a breath, Addie continued. “He saw me go into your cell, and he thought I was looking for you, and one thing led to another, and we just started talking.”

Her Poppy raised an eyebrow. “ _ One thing led to another?” _

Addie flushed. “Okay, bad analogy.” 

“Honey, a man like that will say anything to get what he wants. He will manipulate you if you let him, and I don’t want you vulnerable to that.”

Addie blinked in disbelief. She could feel anger beginning to bubble its way up her throat. 

“Do you really think I’m that naïve?” She gaped at him. “And  _ you’re _ the one who advocated for him to stay here. What—you think Rick should have kicked him out? You don’t even  _ know  _ him!”

“Do you?” His words hung in the air for a moment, suspended in the thick tension between them. Addie dropped her head, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. 

“I don’t think I know anyone anymore.” She whispered. “I’m scared. We’re not a part of this group. Not really. I don’t want it to be just you and me forever. There’s—there’s something about him, Poppy. I feel like…I understand him.”

He placed a warm, age-spotted hand on her cheek and pulled her into a hug. 

Addie wrapped her arms around his neck and began to sob. 

“It’s not just Nana, it’s  _ everyone.  _ Mom and Dad, Grannie and Papa, Jonathan, Kim, Katie—everything is  _ gone _ .” 

She could feel her Poppy’s shoulders shaking as he grieved alongside her. Together, they wept in one another’s embrace, in a cold, dark prison cell in rural Georgia, thousands of miles from home.


	5. Chapter 5

_Addie was running through the prison hallway, gasping for breath as a growling horde of Walkers stumbled after her. Glancing behind her, she suddenly lost her footing and landed hard on her tailbone. Hissing in pain, she hoisted herself off the floor. A surge of shock ran up her spine as she saw that her hands were slick with blood. She looked down and realized with horror that the floor was covered in thick, dark blood. It was seeping out from underneath the bars of a locked cell. Inching closer, she peered inside. Her Poppy was crouched over something and making horrible, guttural noises. A wave of nausea hit her as she realized what the bloody form on the ground was._

_A body._

_Merle._

_Her Poppy looked up from his feast with dead, milky eyes. Hanging from his mouth was a lump of bloody flesh._

_Somehow-suddenly-her Poppy was outside of the cell, and advancing on her. Trembling violently, Addie tried to run, slipping and falling once again in the pool of Merle's blood._

_"Oh, God, Poppy,_ no _!" She screamed, finally finding her voice._

_Cold, lifeless hands were around her throat and her nails scrabbled against his chest, trying desperately to keep him at bay. She could feel herself losing stamina, and as her vision began to go black at the edges, she turned her head to look at Merle. He wasn't moving at all._

_"Merle-" she gasped, reaching weakly for him. "I love you."_

_She could feel her Poppy's hot, decaying breath on her face, and she didn't have the energy to fight anymore. She wheezed, desperately fighting for breath as he bared his teeth in a hungry snarl and-_

Addie woke with a jolt, flailing and tangled in a blanket. Ripping her way out of the scratchy sheets, she stumbled out of her room and pressed herself against the outside wall, breathless and shaking.

Unbeknownst to her, Merle was watching her from the shadows of his cell, across the hall. His wintry blue eyes narrowed sharply as she pressed her fists into her eyes, trying to stop the hot tears. She looked wild-feral almost-with her unkempt frizzy hair and the panic in her eyes.

"Easy, girl." His voice was a low rumble.

She froze and slowly peeked over her hands, still breathing heavily. She looked almost…relieved?

"I'm sorry." She gasped jaggedly. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Shit, girl, thought you was havin' a wet dream 'bout me, way you was shakin' and moanin'."

Addie was too shaken by the remnants of the dream to even blush. The image of her Poppy bent over Merle's dead body was burned into the back of her eyelids. She swallowed hard and looked at him with her tear-filled, grey eyes. Her breathing was shallow and choppy. _Sounded like the girl was havin' a damn panic attack._

Something in him tugged. _He wanted out of this damn cell so he could get to her. Them big ol' eyes were spilling over and the sight of her quivering chin made him want to suck that bottom lip into his mouth._

"Deep breaths, Aunt Bea." He cracked a smile to hide whatever weird pansy-ass feelings were stirring inside of him. _Been spending too much time around Darylina, ya damn pussy._

"I'm sorry." She whispered again, worried suddenly that he would think of her as some kind of burden.

"Quit apologizin'." He growled. "Fuck."

"I-you should go back to sleep. I'll be fine." She closed her eyes briefly in an attempt to slow her heart, which was still pounding.

"Reckon it ain't the best idea to leave ya alone in this state. I can see ya damn hands shakin'." Merle rolled his eyes. "Can't have ya offin' yourself, little girl."

"I'm not a girl." Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible.

"No?" He chuckled dismissively.

"No." She said unwaveringly, her voice growing stronger.

"How old are ya, then, huh, jailbait? Can't be more'n 17, if even that." He snickered. "Doubt you're even legal."

"I'm not _jailbait_." Addie pulled a face, wrinkling her nose. "I'm 24."

He snorted. "Right."

Addie frowned. "I _am_. I just finished my Master's Degree before…" She made a wide gesture. "…Before all this."

"Shiiiiiit. You ain't pullin' my leg?" He whistled lowly when she shook her head. _Perhaps it was Addie's imagination, but he was looking at her differently._

"Well, that changes things, don't it, darlin'?"

"Does it?" Instinctively, she pressed herself closer to the wall. _Her fingertips were tingling._

He stared at her for a moment, sizing her up-making her squirm. Finally he winked, zipping himself right back up into his superficial Merle suit.

"Oh yeah." His eyes gleamed mischievously. "I'm outta my depth with you. Can't keep up. You're a college edumacated girl!" He drawled exaggeratedly.

Addie rolled her eyes, but realized that she felt better. Somehow, when she was around Merle, the darkness was…less. Like he was some kind of force field.

"You good now?" He asked, almost as if he could read her mind.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks for talking me down. Sorry about…all this." Addie looked down at the floor, feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

"Not like I could sleep in this damn cell anyways. Mattress is fuckin' lumpy." He muttered under his breath.

Addie laughed. "I had no idea you had such specific sleeping preferences. What would happen if I put a pea under your mattress?"

"I'd fuckin' _feel_ it, probably!" He rolled his eyes as Addie giggled.

Snorting softly, Merle gestured to the room across the hall. "Go on now, get back to bed before ya Granddaddy catches ya talkin' to me. Last thing I need is anyone else in this group ridin' my ass about somethin'."

Still chuckling, Addie pushed herself up off the wall.

"Though I guess it don't matter so much, now that yer legal." He mused, shooting her a devilish grin.

Blushing, Addie nearly tripped over her own feet. "Stop that!" She scolded him, unable to hide her smile.

He said nothing, but Addie could have sworn she saw a ghost of a genuine smile on his lips as he disappeared back into the shadows.

 


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Addie woke up with an idea in her head. A bad idea-an idea that could potentially get her and her Poppy kicked out-but an idea that she was going through with nonetheless.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she was in front of Merle's cell, pulling one of the last few remaining bobby pins from her pocket.

"Whatcha doin', girl?" Merle eyed her suspiciously.

"I can pick this lock," Addie swallowed. "On _one_ condition. You don't cause any trouble. And you don't tell anyone that I did this." She looked over her shoulder surreptitiously.

"That's two conditions, girly."

Addie sighed and looked at him expectantly. "What's it going to be?" She whispered. "Do you want out of here or not?"

"Alright, fine, I agree to your damn 'conditions.'" He grumbled.

Addie hesitated for a moment, hoping very much that he wouldn't make her regret this.

"What, you need me sign a damn contract?"

"You really should be nicer to the girl who's breaking you out of jail." Addie rolled her eyes, but began working on the lock.

"We're both in jail, in case ya ain't noticed, sugartits." He snorted.

Addie stopped what she was doing and glared at him. " _Don't_ call me that. I swear, I will leave you in here."

Merle threw his hands up in mock surrender.  
"Alright, alright, cool your jets, girl, I'm just teasin' ya."

She fiddled with the lock for a few more seconds before it clicked. The cell door swung open and Addie looked at him triumphantly.

"You been holdin' out on me, Aunt Bea!" He grinned at her. "Where the hell a girl like you learn to pick a lock?"

"High school drama class." She laughed breathlessly, feeling considerably proud of herself.

"Go figure." He smirked, flashing her a cheeky grin. "I oughta keep you around, girl. Now, how can I express mah gratitude?" He looked her up and down and raised a suggestive eyebrow.

Addie's breath caught in her throat as he stepped out into the hallway and sidled up to her, smiling like the Cheshire cat.

Addie thought for a moment, ignoring his provocative look.   
"Will you teach me how to kill Walkers?"

He frowned. "Shot through the head, dummy."

"No, I-I know, but I need to learn how to shoot. Like, _really_ shoot. My Papa used to take me to the range, but I was just a kid." She paused. "I could have saved someone's life, back in Tampa. I tried. But it was all happening so fast and I was scared and I...I missed." She finished quietly.

Neither of them spoke for a moment as Addie composed herself, looking down at the floor.

"I'll teach ya to shoot, girl." His voice was raspy and serious. He wasn't touching her, but his blue eyes were so intense that it almost felt like he was.

"Thank you." She whispered.

He nodded slowly, keeping his eyes locked on hers. She swallowed and bit her lip. She knew she should look away, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his.

"You done right by me. Figure I owe ya one for springin' me from the jailhouse." He winked, slipping effortlessly back into his Merlish personality. "Besides, ain't nothin' sexier than a girl with a gun." Merle snickered as Addie's mouth dropped open and her face turned bright red. _She was too easy to rattle-girl was red in the face more often than not. Hell, even her neck was red. Fuckin' adorable._

Merle tipped her chin up and looked down at her, his eyes boring into hers. She blushed harder, if that was even possible. He seemed to have found whatever it was he was looking for, because he nodded and released her, his hand lingering on her jaw a moment longer than necessary.

"Can't do it tomorrow, 'cause I'm on watch with Daryl. But the day after, you come find me in the yard at sunup. And don't be late, I ain't got all day to play teacher."

She nodded breathlessly. With that, he turned and strode down the hall. He was barely five feet away before he paused and turned back around. Winking, he tossed something back to Addie. She caught it on reflex and held it up to examine it.

_The plastic fork._

She met his oceanic blue eyes and he grinned. Addie bit her lip to keep from smiling, and slipped the fork into the pocket of her ugly cargo pants.

He made it a few more steps before he paused again, turning around and walking right back up to Addie, so close that she could feel his breath on her hair.

"Gotta ask, girlie. What changed ya mind about springin' me from jail? Thought you was too worried about what Officer Friendly would do."

"I was worried-I still am, a little bit. But this was the right thing to do. And I like you-as a friend, I mean." She added quickly. "But, I mean-not that I _don't_ like you as a-as more than a-not that I _do_ , I'm just saying that I don't _not_ …Oh, for heaven's sake." Addie sighed and tried to mentally banish the flush that was rising in her cheeks. _Why was it that she couldn't say two words to this man without turning into a flustered mess?_

Merle cocked an eyebrow at her.

Taking a breath, she tried again.  
"You helped me last night. You listened and calmed me down after that awful nightmare. It was…sweet."

"I ain't nothin' sweet, girl." He muttered. "I done things that would curl your purty blonde hairs."

Addie gave him a searching look, trying unsuccessfully to shush the little voice in the back of her head that was having a mini seizure over the fact that he just called her hair pretty. _Her frizzy, straw hair._

"I think you're a good man."

"You got shit in your ears, girlie?" He snapped, suddenly angry. "I'm a thief, a killer, and a junkie to boot. You don't want nothin' to do with me."

"You let me be the judge of that." She said quietly.

He stepped towards her and, for one heart-stopping moment, Addie thought he was going to kiss her. But then he was gone, disappearing around the corner and leaving Addie to her confused, muddled thoughts.

Addie sighed and rubbed her face. She couldn't believe that she just jeopardized her and her Poppy's standing in this prison to help a man that she barely knew. Even more disturbing was the fact that she was disappointed he hadn't kissed her. _She was in over her head and she knew it._

_Merle Dixon was going to be the death of her._

 

* * *

 

  
Merle barged into one of the abandoned offices and kicked a filing cabinet, sending it toppling over with a resounding crash. He cursed himself for letting Addie get under his skin. He needed to get out of there. _He'd either been about to hit that girl, or kiss the hell out of her._

_Damn girl was gonna be the death of him._


End file.
